Dear Friend of the Parks,
This issue of Park Lines is special. Not only do we have a great new look, we have combined our National Park Explorer and Park Lines newsletters into one publication. The new newsletter, now called Park Lines, will be sent out once a month. We will continue to include the best features of previous newsletters, such as our "Featured Park" and "Thoughts for All Time."
We hope you enjoy our improved newsletter. We would love to hear your suggestions for upcoming issues. Send your comments to npca@npca.org.
The NPCA Web Team
Felicia, Bev, Deborah, Dionna, and Laura
Historic Jamestowne, Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia
Searching for the lost Jamestown fort was a bit like trying to find the lost city of Atlantis. Most people assumed the fort was deep under the waters of the James River, whose shifting banks were thought to have washed over the old fort site, hiding it forever. But one resolute archeologist thought otherwise. William M. Kelso was determined to find the old fort in time for Jamestown's 400th anniversary. And he did! After years of exhaustive archeological work, the fort site has been rediscovered along with over one million artifacts and several original gravesites.
Virginia Company explorers came to Jamestown Island in the James River 400 years ago. It was here they established the Virginia English colony—a full 13 years ahead of the more famous Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. Today, Historic Jamestowne is a part of Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia. Here, the National Park Service tells the story of all three cultures--European, North American, and African--that came together in and around Jamestown. The new Visitor Center tells how the arrival of the English influenced the Native Americans who had lived in the area for thousands of years before the settlers arrived, how the settlers eventually enslaved African Americans, and how the settlers established a democratic system of government.
Historic Jamestowne is a unit within the larger Colonial National Historical Park, a 10,221-acre park that marks both the beginning and the end of English period in Colonial America. In addition to Historic Jamestowne, the park includes Yorktown Battlefield, the site of critical victory in the American Revolution. At Yorktown, Gen. George Washington assembled troops for a surprise attack on the British in 1781, leading to the British surrender. The American victory marked the end of English rule in the colonies.
View the Slideshow > >
If You Go
Plan to drive down the 23-mile Colonial Parkway, the scenic parkway that links all the historic sites in Colonial National Historic Park including Cape Henry Memorial, Historic Jamestowne, Yorktown Battlefield, and its close neighbor Colonial Williamsburg, in an area known as the Historic Triangle.
To learn more about the upcoming 400th anniversary celebration, visit Jamestown 2007 > >
Snowmobiles Yet Again! Yellowstone Needs YouThe Yellowstone Winter Use Plan is Open for Comment
Take Action >
 Snowmobiles, again. The Winter Use plan at Yellowstone National Park is not yet complete, and the most recent proposal may be more problematic than ever. The Park Service has found that even with the much-reduced number of snowmobiles--an average of 250 machines per day--the engine noise exceeds standards put in place to guarantee enjoyment of Yellowstone's magical sounds and quiet. Yet despite these conclusions, the Park Service is proposing to allow three times as many snowmobiles into the park per day than Yellowstone has seen since 2003--as many as 720 per day!
The Park Service recently released the draft plan for winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. The outcome of the study will result in the final plan for winter use in the parks. Please take a moment to voice your support for clean air and quiet winter access into Yellowstone and Grand Teton via snowcoaches. Voice your support for Alternative 2, the snowcoach-only alternative. You can comment through May 31, 2007. Submit your comments directly on the NPS Planning website.
Take Action >
A New Vision for Gateway National Recreation Area
 NPCA, along with its partners Van Alen Institute and Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, recently launched an international public design competition to create a new vision for Gateway National Recreation Area, a 26,600-acre urban national park located in New York. "Envisioning Gateway: A Public Design Competition for Gateway National Park" is being underwritten by The Tiffany & Co. Foundation.
Since the creation of Gateway, the park’s facilities have largely been neglected. The open landscapes of Sandy Hook, Fort Tilden, and Floyd Bennett Field suffer from chronic funding shortfalls, resulting in dwindling visitor services, crumbling buildings, and threatened natural resources. New habitats, marshes, and modern recreational facilities are needed to welcome park visitors and to create an environment that is suitable for park visitors, native wildlife, and plants to flourish.
Competitors are being asked to consider Gateway at the regional scale, and to propose a redesign of Floyd Bennett Field relative to its position within the Jamaica Bay Unit of Gateway. Winning entries will be announced in June and then presented to the National Park Service for potential inclusion in the next planning phase of Gateway’s General Management Plan, which is scheduled for 2009.
For more information and competition updates, visit the design competition website.
Travel with NPCA on a Grand Canyon Family ClassicJuly 8-13, 2007
 Join us for a summer vacation your family will never forget! This wonderful blend of adventure and comfort combines two nights of deluxe camping on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon with two nights in a luxurious Sedona resort. You can also explore some of the splendors of Sedona with a romp down the Oak Creek natural waterslide, a Jeep tour through red rock country, and a kids' night out that allows adults to step out and enjoy Sedona's fine restaurants. To learn more visit our ParkScapes travel section.
Victory in Alaska: The Bears of Katmai Thank You!
 Victory! In a 7-0 decision, the Alaska Board of Game voted overwhelmingly to prohibit bear hunting on 95,000 acres of state land inside the boundary of Katmai National Park--reversing an earlier decision to allow hunting in this previously closed area. YOU helped make this happen! Thanks to you, nearly 11,000 letters were hand-delivered to the Board of Game by NPCA's very own Alaska Regional Director Jim Stratton. Along with the petitions, Jim presented compelling testimony to the Board of Game. Jim also worked with a broad coalition that included local hunters, conservationists, and biologists who put a stop to the re-opening of this area.
Although protecting bears in Katmai is an ongoing effort, this was a tremendous victory that we can all share. As we continue to work to protect our national parks and their wildlife residents we will be sure to keep you updated. We couldn't have done it without you. Thanks!
Salute to the Parks Gala: A Huge Success for the Parks!
 The March 28th Salute to the Parks gala reminded each guest that by working collectively and individually, we can make a difference in the fight for a healthy, accessible National Park System. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne offered remarks on the National Parks Centennial Initiative and provided a call to action to look ahead to 2016--the park system's 100th anniversary--and to recommit to preserve the parks' natural, historic, and cultural treasures for generations to come. It was terrific to honor park heroes Sen. Lamar Alexander and the National Geographic Society, and we are proud to report that the event raised nearly $700,000 that will go directly to NPCA's important work.
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